Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu [email protected]
FOR years, many children in Ward Seven of Gwanda North constituency struggled to attend school because of hunger, often walking long distances on empty stomachs or staying at home to avoid the ordeal.
Some pupils travelled up to seven kilometres each morning, arriving at school tired and hungry, with little chance of concentrating in class.
Today, the situation is beginning to change. Classrooms that once had empty desks are slowly filling up again following the roll-out of the Government’s school feeding programme, supported by a local intervention from businessman Cde Lungisani Ncube, who has donated mealie-meal and cooking oil to seven primary schools in the ward.
The combined effort has brought renewed hope to learners, teachers and parents in a district still recovering from the devastating effects of the El Niño-induced drought, which wiped out crops, depleted household food supplies and led to livestock losses.
Schools in Matabeleland South recently received sugar beans under the Government’s national school feeding programme, with the province allocated 40 tonnes for distribution to schools.
To complement this support, Cde Ncube provided mealie-meal and cooking oil, enabling schools to start preparing hot meals for learners.
The programme, introduced by Government in 2024 at a time of worsening food shortages, has become a lifeline for vulnerable children in drought-prone communities.
At Simbumbumbu Primary School, the impact is already clear. Deputy headmaster Mr Luka Shamhuyenhanzva said attendance has improved significantly within just one week of the feeding programme.
“We received relish from Government and then Cde Ncube assisted us with mealie-meal. This enabled us to kick-start the school feeding programme. We have been feeding for a week now and our attendance has improved tremendously,” he said.
“We were previously having nearly a quarter of the children missing school. When asked why, most said they were hungry and could not manage the long walk to school without food. Now almost all the children are attending classes and showing greater interest in learning. This will certainly improve our pass rate.”
For many families in the area, the drought has made it difficult to contribute towards feeding schemes, even though they understand their importance.
At Mapane Primary School, School Development Committee chairperson Ms Nonhlanhla Madonko said parents had struggled to provide mealie-meal because of widespread food shortages.
“We had tried to ask parents to contribute mealie-meal, but most families simply do not have enough food in their homes. This donation has therefore come at the right time and will allow us to begin feeding learners next week,” she said.
Community leaders say the feeding programme is doing more than just easing hunger — it is restoring children’s interest in education.
Local traditional leader Headman Trust Madlela Ndlovu said hunger had become one of the biggest barriers to learning.
“When children walk long distances and spend the whole day hungry, it becomes difficult for them to concentrate. Some eventually lose interest in school altogether. This intervention is very important for the development of our community. President Mnangagwa said ‘ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo’ and we are seeing that spirit here through Cde Ncube, who is taking responsibility for developing his own community.”
Headman Madlela added that development would accelerate if more individuals invested in their communities.
“People must identify areas where they can assist within their communities and bring development. If more citizens adopt this mindset, our districts and the country at large will progress significantly,” he said.
Addressing parents, school officials and community leaders during the handover ceremony on Friday, Cde Ncube said many households in Ward 7 were still struggling to recover from the drought.
He said hunger remained one of the main causes of school absenteeism and dropouts in the area.
“I received concerns from Ward 7 leadership that schools had relish for feeding learners but there was no mealie-meal. I then saw it fit to intervene and assist. This will not be a once-off programme. Once schools finish this first batch of mealie-meal, I will bring more,” he said.
Beyond food assistance, Cde Ncube also introduced a bursary programme to support underprivileged learners.
He handed over R20 000 to Gqalaza Primary School to assist vulnerable pupils with school fees and pledged to extend the support to the remaining six primary schools in the ward.
“Early next month, I will return with bursary funds for the other schools. Each school will receive R20 000 to support vulnerable learners,” said Cde Ncube.
The intervention forms part of wider community-driven efforts to strengthen education in Gwanda North.
Cde Ncube is also spearheading the construction of Wililisa Secondary School in Matshetsheni, a long-awaited project that residents say has been outstanding for more than 20 years.
At present, some children in the area walk nearly 30 kilometres daily to attend the nearest secondary school.
He has also been supporting the rehabilitation and equipping of schools across the constituency while continuing to provide bursary assistance to disadvantaged learners.
The school feeding programme remains one of the Government’s key interventions to cushion vulnerable communities against climate-induced food insecurity while improving education outcomes.
Guided by the Zimbabwe Livelihoods Assessment Committee (ZimLAC) 2024 findings, which highlighted serious food and nutrition challenges, the programme is playing a critical role in tackling classroom hunger and improving school attendance.
